Dunedin Symphony Orchestra | From the Southern Marches

PROGRAMME:
Anthony Ritchie and George Griffiths | From the Southern Marches

From the Southern Marches tells the story of the people who have settled in Otago (Maori, Scots and English, Chinese etc.), depicting the cultural, social and economic historical development of the region (the term ‘marches’ referring to an area of land which is on the border with another).

Three of our vocal soloists are Otago graduates, and all have gone on to further their careers: Anna Leese throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe, Emma Fraser in Sydney, and Joel Amosa (who won the Lexus Song Competition last year) in Auckland. The Southern Youth Choir represents a further link with the University as most of its members are University students.

Anthony Ritchie’s long and fruitful association with the orchestra started in 1993 and 1994 when he was the Composer-in-Residence. His outstanding ability to set words to music was recognised by the historian George Griffiths who commissioned Anthony to write this full-length work, with texts selected by George. Audience demand was such that after the first performance in 1998 a second performance took place later that year.

The massed forces of full orchestra, the two choirs, plus the four soloists will be under the masterly direction of the orchestra’s London-based
Principal Guest Conductor Simon Over.